Confused: some doctors say that hsv 1&2 antibodies show up reliably in 4-6 weeks; others say much, much longer. which is it?

4-6 weeks: 4-6 weeks is about the right amount of time for most people's immune system to develop measurable antibodies.

Depends on test: IgM tests develop in a few weeks but do not differentiate hsv1 from hsv2 and then become neg after a few months in many cases. IgG test is preferable, will differentiate type 1 from type 2, is often pos at 2 weeks, stays pos for life, but does not show for several months sometimes. So it varies with the case and varies with the test.